Mary Cassatt

Date of Birth: May 22, 1844

Zodiac Sign: Gemini

Date of Death: June 14, 1926

Biography

Mary Stevenson Cassatt was an influential American painter and printmaker, born on May 22, 1844, in Allegheny City, Pennsylvania, which is now part of Pittsburgh. Cassatt is best known for her depictions of the intimate bonds between mothers and children. She spent much of her adult life in France, where she was closely associated with the Impressionist movement, particularly with Edgar Degas, who became her mentor and friend. Cassatt’s early education took place in Philadelphia, but she moved to Paris in 1865 to study under Jean-Léon Gérôme at the École des Beaux-Arts. She was one of the few women of her time to gain recognition in the predominantly male art world. Despite facing significant societal barriers, her work was exhibited in the Paris Salon and the Impressionist exhibitions. Her paintings often featured women in various roles, reflecting the changing perceptions of women’s place in society during her lifetime. Cassatt played a significant role in introducing European Impressionism to the United States by advising wealthy American art collectors. Mary Cassatt’s health began to decline in the early 1900s, and she ceased painting around 1914 due to near blindness. She died on June 14, 1926, in Château de Beaufresne, France.

5 Interesting Facts about Mary Cassatt

1. Mary Cassatt was the only American artist to exhibit with the French Impressionists.

2. She was a strong advocate for women’s rights and supported the suffrage movement.

3. Cassatt was greatly influenced by the Japanese woodcut prints she saw at the 1890 exhibition of Japanese art in Paris.

4. Her painting “The Child’s Bath” (1893) is one of her most famous works and is held in the Art Institute of Chicago.

5. Cassatt never married, dedicating her life to her art and her family.

5 Most Interesting Quotes from Mary Cassatt

1. “I think that if you shake the tree, you ought to be around when the fruit falls to pick it up.”

2. “There are two ways for a painter: the broad and easy one or the narrow and hard one.”

3. “I am independent! I can live alone and I love to work.”

4. “Why do people so love to wander? I think the civilized parts of the World will suffice for me in the future.”

5. “I have touched with a sense of art some people—they felt the love and the life. Can you offer me anything to compare to that joy for an artist?”

Highest Net Worth Achieved

Mary Cassatt’s highest net worth remains difficult to ascertain as she lived during a time when such records were not commonly documented. However, her works have sold for millions of dollars posthumously, making her one of the most successful female artists of her time.

Children

Mary Cassatt never had children. She remained unmarried and childless throughout her life, often focusing her art on the theme of motherhood and children, which she observed in others.